Mayor William Bell hosts Empowerment Week Mayors Conference

A number of mayors from around the country are in Birmingham as part of Empowerment Week.

They also joined Mayor William Bell for a series of panel discussions on the impact of the Civil Rights movement and specifically what happened at the 16th Street Baptist Church in 1963.

"We are here today to honor and celebrate the memory of four little girls who lost their lives here, but whose death at the hands of a domestic terrorist has helped change the course of our country, and will do so for many years going forward," Kevin Johnson, mayor of Sacramento, Cali., said.

"Four little girls died, but hundreds of millions of Americans are living better lives today as a result," Michael Nutter, mayor of Philadelphia, Pa., said.

"Fifty years ago, people saw differences as deficencies. Today as a business person who happens to be mayor and my fellow mayors, we stand here know differences as strength. As critical building blocks to grow our international competitiveness, and our educational competitiveness at the same time," Greg Fisher, mayor of Louisville, Ky., said.

Mayor Bell used some of his strongest language to date about the importance of schools.

"We must become actively involved in the educational process of all of our children. And make sure they understand who they are, what they are, and where they are going," Bell said.

But their focus was also on looking forward as they unveiled a 10-point plan to fight racism and discrimination.

Some of the mayors are expected to stay through the weekend to participate in the rest of Empowerment Week.